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Bill Brohaugh has immersed himself in words throughout his career. He has worked in publishing and has been writing about writing both as editor and writer since 1976. (And unprofessionally even before that: He wrote his first terrible, atrocious novel in the eighth grade. He has no comment on when he wrote his most recent terrible, atrocious novel.) |
Brohaugh is the author of:
- Everything You Know About English Is Wrong (Sourcebooks May 2008). Continuing in the cantankerous spirit of Unfortunate English, this book attacks myths about the mother tongue from a number of standpoints: word histories (bull is not an abbreviation of BS); grammar "rules" (the proscription of splitting infinitives is not only wrong, it's just stupid); quotes (Winston Churchill did not say "That is the sort of errant pedantry up with which I shall not put); word usage (impact as a verb is not only acceptable, but also perfect; and more. Says Anguished English author Richard Lederer: "If you love language and the unvarnished truth, you'll love Everything You Know About English Is Wrong. You'll have fun because his lively, comedic, skeptical voice will speak to you from the pages of his word-bethumped book." And says Mad magazine cartoonist (oh, why not?) John Caldwell: "Better plotted than a glossary, more riveting than a thesaurus, more filmable than a Harry Potter index."
- Write Tight: Say Exactly What You Mean With Precision and Power (paperback, Sourcebooks 2007; first edition from Writer's Digest Books, 1993). Says Dean Koontz: "These days, most creative-writing course teach self-indulgence. Write Tight counsels discipline. It is worth more than a university education. Its advice is gold." A writing instruction and style book, covering concision on the macro level (should I write this down in the first place?), the micro level ("pour down"?--as opposed to "pour up"?), the mid level (don't use four examples when three will do, and don't use three one one epitomizes your point). Foreword by Lawrence Block.
- English Through the Ages (Writer's Digest Books, 1997). A reference tome listing the known appearances of words both common and obsolete in chronological order, accompanied by essays with interesting highlights and observations about words. (586 pages. Don't drop it on your foot.)
- Professional Etiquette for Writers (Writer's Digest Books, 1986), on how to deal professionally as a creative person dealing with sources, agents and editors, during interviews, submissions, negotiations and editorial work.
- Just Open a Vein (as the book's editor, compiled for Writer's Digest Books, 1987).
- The Grill of Victory, an in-depth narrative profiling the competition barbecue circuit (Emmis Books, 2006). The book's backjacket blurb was written by bestselling barbecue cookbook author Steven Raichlen (The Barbecue Bible and others); the foreword, by Claud Mann–Chef Claud on TBS's Dinner and a Movie. (Visit the Grill of Victory website.
Currently the managing editor of COLLOQUY (it means "conversation"), Brohaugh served as Editor of Writer's Digest from 1982 to 1990, and as editorial director of Writer's Digest Books from 1990 to 1998. He is the author of the "Writing the Nonfiction Book Proposal" course of WritersOnlineWorkshops.com. He has written several hundred published or produced magazine articles and short radio pieces.
His speaking appearances include:
- Antioch Writers' Workshop (Workshop Leader)
- Romance Writers of America Annual National Conference (San Antonio, Keynote Speaker)
- National League of American Pen Women conference (Honolulu, Keynote Speaker)
- Society of Southwestern Authors (Tucson, luncheon keynote speaker)
- Maui Writers Conference (Maui, presenter of multiple sessions)
- U.S. Army War College Department of Distance Education (twice guest lecturer on the subject of Write Tight)
As well appearances in workshops and lectures in Sacramento; Madison, Wisconsin; Space Coast, Florida; Nashville; Cleveland; University of Oklahoma; Monterey; Cincinnati; Little Rock; Kansas City; Anchorage; and Denver.
He can spell eclectic.
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